A lot is being made of PSG being favored, particularly in Paris. Most neutrals expect Luis Enrique's side to advance. Writing off Unai Emery's side is too shortsighted, however. Yes, the Ligue 1 team has already secured their domestic league in France, but to completely allow that to overshadow Villa at the moment is disingenuous.
It can always be difficult to compare quality across the various leagues in Europe. PSG did reach this stage, after all, by defeating the Premier League frontrunners, Liverpool. It did take a penalty shootout, and right now, Villa are playing better than the Reds at the moment.
While it's Arne Slot who managed to grab wins throughout the campaign, Emery has his group playing collectively better. More importantly, the Spaniard has significantly more depth to turn to if matches get out of hand. This advantage is not something that the French side will be able to deal with.
Although PSG have had an easier time of it and could be fresher for the Champions League bouts, with the extended roster, that becomes less of a concern. Villa are more battle-tested and ready for any challenges that can possibly come throughout the competition.
Wrapping up a title early is great for Enrique's men, but human nature and taking something of a step back are often unavoidable. Emery, meanwhile, consistently is in Premier League fights while pushing for a higher spot in the table. This sharpness with the rotating cast in the squad selection is a major advantage that AVFC will have across the two legs.
Aston Villa positioned to shock neutrals
In what will be an interesting matchup on the pitch, sometimes, these other factors become more important in big moments in major competitions. Champions League is the biggest global stage in club activities. The biggest hurdles and tests are required of teams in their pursuit of the CL trophy.
A lot is made of the attacking trio of PSG, but the Aston Villa presence going forward is more than capable of matching anything from the Ligue 1 champions. Emery will need to continue to make the right maneuvers in critical moments of the game. Considering where Villa are now and the options available for the Villa boss, that is likely to happen and prove to be the winning difference.